This invention relates to photographic printing and apparatus capable of processing any of a roll of films, a strip of film detached from a cartridge, and a film housed in a cartridge.
One conventional photographic printing apparatus for printing images recorded on a film onto a photosensitive material comprises a scanner assembly and a printing/exposure assembly provided along a film guide for feeding films in a straight line. The scanner assembly optically reads image density data and other data for each frame of a film. After adjusting the density of light from a light source based on such data, such light is projected onto a film to print images thereof onto a photosensitive material.
The scanner assembly has a light source separate from a light source for the printing/exposure assembly, and a scanner for optically reading image density data and other data. Such data are transferred to the printing/exposure assembly after being converted to electric signals. After reading printing data, the film is fed into the printing/exposure assembly by the film guide and printed.
When processing many films continuously with such a conventional photographic printing apparatus, it is an ordinary practice to splice a plurality of films at their ends, wind them around a reel, and automatically feed the spliced and reeled films into the apparatus through its film inlet.
The scanner assembly reads image density data and other data from the spliced films. The films are then printed under the conditions determined by the data obtained in the scanner assembly. It takes a longer time to print a film than to read necessary data from the same film.
Because of this difference in processing time, it was impossible to read image density data of one film while another film is being printed. Also, it was impossible to print a film while the scanner assembly is reading image density data of another film.
Thus, it was impossible to process a plurality of films continuously with satisfactory speed and efficiency. In order to solve this problem, an improved printing apparatus was proposed in which the scanner assembly and the printing/exposure assembly are driven independently of each other, with a loop portion provided therebetween to adjust the feed speed of films.
Such an improved photoprinting apparatus can process spliced and reeled films with sufficiently high speed and efficiency.
But this apparatus can process only strips of films detached from cartridges. Namely, it cannot process films housed in cartridges. In order to process films in cartridges, it is necessary to use a printing apparatus equipped with some special means which makes it possible to do so. Such an apparatus is not only costly but also takes up a large amount of space.
An object of this invention to provide an apparatus for printing any of a roll of spliced films, a strip of film detached from a cartridge, and a film housed in a cartridge.
A second object is to provide such an apparatus which is compact and operates efficiently at low cost.
A third object is to provide such a photographic printing apparatus which can automatically feed a cartridge in the apparatus once it is supplied into the apparatus.